The Lampstand
The Lampstand Conference casts a biblical vision for church health and ministry strategies. We focus on depending upon the means of grace for spiritual formation, making disciples through Christ-centered and Gospel-driven ministry, and leadership development and deployment.
The Conference offers three focused ministry tracks according to your need: Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
Church Planting – Igniting the Flame
Our experienced church planting faculty and coaches provide instruction and insight that is both Biblical and practical for starting spiritually healthy churches that are committed to worship, evangelism, discipleship and leadership development.
Church Revitalization – Embers to a Flame
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Church Acceleration – Fanning the Flame
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
The Conference offers three focused ministry tracks according to your need: Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
Church Planting – Igniting the Flame
Our experienced church planting faculty and coaches provide instruction and insight that is both Biblical and practical for starting spiritually healthy churches that are committed to worship, evangelism, discipleship and leadership development.
Church Revitalization – Embers to a Flame
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Church Acceleration – Fanning the Flame
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
Conference Speakers:
Dr. John Currie
Senior Pastor, Proclamation Presbyterian Church
Dr. John Currie is Senior Pastor of Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. Previously he was professor of pastoral theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. His academic interests include expository preaching and pastoral leadership. Dr. Currie has extensive pastoral experience and is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Before serving at Redeemer OPC, he also served as a Teaching Pastor at Church of the Savior in Wayne, PA, and as a Senior Pastor at Grand Prairie Alliance Church in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada. In addition, Dr. Currie has served as a Youth Pastor.
Dr. Tom Hawkes
Director of Church Planting, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Dr. Tom Hawkes (Ph.D., London School of Theology/Middlesex U) is a minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church where he serves as the Director of Church Planting for the Florida Presbytery and as the planting pastor for Christ Presbyterian Church, Fernandina Beach, Florida, where he and his wife, Ann, live. Tom and Ann have four married sons and seven grandchildren. Tom and Ann share a passion for helping to raise up the next generation of leaders for the next generation of churches.
Dr. Sandy Willson
Pastor Emeritus, Second Presbyterian Church
Sanders L. (Sandy) Willson is Pastor Emeritus at Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee where he served for twenty -two years. After retiring from Second Presbyterian, he served as an interim pastor in two PCA churches and then as interim president for The Gospel Coalition. He also pastored Memorial Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, Tennessee and Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and recently served as interim senior pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL.
Rev. Rob Looper
National / Revitalization Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church
Rob attended both Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, graduating in 1988. It was at USC, through Reformed University Fellowship, that he came to know the Lord and discerned God’s call to pastoral ministry. Rob attended Covenant Theological Seminary and met and later married fellow CTS student Lisa Duck. In 1993, he received his Master of Divinity degree and was ordained in Missouri Presbytery and ministered at Twin Oaks Presbyterian church until 1998. After serving as Senior Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Rob pastored the historic McIlwain Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pensacola, FL for 20 years. It was at McIlwain that Rob became involved with Dr. Harry Reeder’s ministry of church vitality, Embers to a Flame, now Lampstand. In 2022, the Lord called Rob to serve as National Missions and Church Revitalization Pastor at Briarwood, where he oversees support for over 120 USA-based missionaries and leads Lampstand, encouraging pastors and churches to be rooted in the means of grace. Rob and Lisa have three adult children, Hannah, Bennett, and Laura.
Rev. Bryan Wintersteen
Global Missions Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church
Bryan Wintersteen serves as the Global Missions Pastor for Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Since its foundation, Global Missions has been a key priority for Briarwood which has commissioned over 2,000 missionaries and given over USD $60 million to support the spread of the gospel overseas. Briarwood currently supports more than 220 missionaries serving in 68 countries across the world. Bryan is committed to ministry partnerships where the gospel is spread through evangelism, discipleship, church planting, and church revitalization. Bryan leads Briarwood’s Global Ministry Team of over 100 lay leaders. In addition, he oversees the church plants in Puerto Rico, ministry to international university students, and heart language congregations including Hispanic, Korean, and Japanese. Prior to joining the pastoral staff at Briarwood, he served thirteen years as a missionary with Church Resource Ministries (CRM) in Australia and Washington D.C. where he served in coaching, mentoring, and equipping church planting pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. Bryan and his wife, Beth are the parents of four grown children, Bryan, Blake, Brock and Betsy.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
January 22–24, 2026
Please note that the Conference begins at 8:00 AM on Thursday, January 22. If you are traveling from more than a few hours from Birmingham you should plan to arrive on Wednesday, January 21. You may register at the church from 5:00-8:00 pm on the 21st and pick up your conference materials; just follow the signs that direct you to Lampstand Registration.
If you register between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, you are welcome to be our guest at Briarwood’s Wednesday Night Dinner; your Lampstand name tag will serve as your meal ticket. If you plan on arriving early on Thursday, January 22, note that registration will be open at 7:00 AM.
Please note that the Conference begins at 8:00 AM on Thursday, January 22. If you are traveling from more than a few hours from Birmingham you should plan to arrive on Wednesday, January 21. You may register at the church from 5:00-8:00 pm on the 21st and pick up your conference materials; just follow the signs that direct you to Lampstand Registration.
If you register between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, you are welcome to be our guest at Briarwood’s Wednesday Night Dinner; your Lampstand name tag will serve as your meal ticket. If you plan on arriving early on Thursday, January 22, note that registration will be open at 7:00 AM.
WEDNESDAY (Pre-Conference)
5:00-8:00 PMPre-Conference Registration
5:15-6:30 PMBriarwood Mid-week Dinner and Fellowship (no cost w/Lampstand nametag)
5:15-6:30 PMBriarwood Mid-week Dinner and Fellowship (no cost w/Lampstand nametag)
THURSDAY
7:00-8:15 AMREGISTRATION
8:15-8:30 AMWELCOME – Scott Redd
8:30-9:00 AMORIENTATION & OVERVIEW – Rob Looper
9:00-9:50 AMSession 1 – The Lampstand Paradigm: Remember, Repent, Recover – John Currie
9:50-10:10 AMSmall Group Discussion
10:10-10:20 AMBreak
10:20-11:10 AMSession 2 – The Personal Spiritual Life of the Lampstand Leader – Tom Hawkes
11:10-11:20 AMPersonal Reflection
11:20-12:10 PMSession 3 – The Character Life of the Lampstand Leader – Tom Hawkes
12:10-12:30 PMSmall Group Discussion
12:30-1:10 PMLUNCH
1:10-2:00 PMSession 4 – Gospel-Driven and Christ-Centered Ministry – Sandy Willson
2:00-2:20 PMSmall Group Discussion
2:20-3:10 PMSession 5 – The Primacy of Preaching – Sandy Willson
3:10-3:30 PMSmall Group Discussion
3:30-3:40 PMBreak
3:40-4:30 PMSession 6 – Intercessory Prayer – John Currie
4:30-4:45 PMSmall Group Discussion
4:45-5:30 PMQ&A Panel
5:30 PMWrap-up & Dismiss
6:00 -7:15 PMDinner & Special Speaker – Ike Reeder, President, Birmingham Theological Seminary
8:15-8:30 AMWELCOME – Scott Redd
8:30-9:00 AMORIENTATION & OVERVIEW – Rob Looper
9:00-9:50 AMSession 1 – The Lampstand Paradigm: Remember, Repent, Recover – John Currie
9:50-10:10 AMSmall Group Discussion
10:10-10:20 AMBreak
10:20-11:10 AMSession 2 – The Personal Spiritual Life of the Lampstand Leader – Tom Hawkes
11:10-11:20 AMPersonal Reflection
11:20-12:10 PMSession 3 – The Character Life of the Lampstand Leader – Tom Hawkes
12:10-12:30 PMSmall Group Discussion
12:30-1:10 PMLUNCH
1:10-2:00 PMSession 4 – Gospel-Driven and Christ-Centered Ministry – Sandy Willson
2:00-2:20 PMSmall Group Discussion
2:20-3:10 PMSession 5 – The Primacy of Preaching – Sandy Willson
3:10-3:30 PMSmall Group Discussion
3:30-3:40 PMBreak
3:40-4:30 PMSession 6 – Intercessory Prayer – John Currie
4:30-4:45 PMSmall Group Discussion
4:45-5:30 PMQ&A Panel
5:30 PMWrap-up & Dismiss
6:00 -7:15 PMDinner & Special Speaker – Ike Reeder, President, Birmingham Theological Seminary
FRIDAY
8:00-8:50 AMSession 7 – Wise Leadership – John Currie
8:50-9:10 AMSmall Group Discussion
9:10-10:00 AMSession 8 – Developing Leaders – John Currie
10:00-10:20 AMSmall Group Discussion
10:20-10:30 AMBreak
10:30-11:20 AMSession 9 – Discipled by Jesus: Worship and Exaltation – Rob Looper
11:20-11:40 PMSmall Group Discussion
11:40-12:00 PMLampstand Testimony
12:00-12:40 PMLUNCH with Briarwood Ministry Coordinators
12:40-1:30 PMSession 10 – On Mission with a Vision – Rob Looper
1:30-1:50 PMSmall Group Discussion
1:50-2:00 PMINTRODUCTION AND DISMISSAL TO TRACKS
2:00-2:50 PMSession 11
• Church Revitalization Track, Evangelism – Bryan Wintersteen
• Church Planting Track – Tom Hawkes
• Church Acceleration Track – Sandy Willson
2:50-3:10 PMDiscussion and Break in Tracks
3:10-4:00 PMSession 12
• Church Revitalization Track, Missions – Bryan Wintersteen
• Church Planting – Tom Hawkes
• Church Acceleration – Sandy Willson
4:00-4:10 PMBreak and return to large group
4:10-5:00 PM Q&A Panel
5:00 PMFriday Wrap-up & Dismiss
8:50-9:10 AMSmall Group Discussion
9:10-10:00 AMSession 8 – Developing Leaders – John Currie
10:00-10:20 AMSmall Group Discussion
10:20-10:30 AMBreak
10:30-11:20 AMSession 9 – Discipled by Jesus: Worship and Exaltation – Rob Looper
11:20-11:40 PMSmall Group Discussion
11:40-12:00 PMLampstand Testimony
12:00-12:40 PMLUNCH with Briarwood Ministry Coordinators
12:40-1:30 PMSession 10 – On Mission with a Vision – Rob Looper
1:30-1:50 PMSmall Group Discussion
1:50-2:00 PMINTRODUCTION AND DISMISSAL TO TRACKS
2:00-2:50 PMSession 11
• Church Revitalization Track, Evangelism – Bryan Wintersteen
• Church Planting Track – Tom Hawkes
• Church Acceleration Track – Sandy Willson
2:50-3:10 PMDiscussion and Break in Tracks
3:10-4:00 PMSession 12
• Church Revitalization Track, Missions – Bryan Wintersteen
• Church Planting – Tom Hawkes
• Church Acceleration – Sandy Willson
4:00-4:10 PMBreak and return to large group
4:10-5:00 PM Q&A Panel
5:00 PMFriday Wrap-up & Dismiss
SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 AMPrayer Partner Breakfast
9:00-9:50 AMSession 13
•Church Revitalization Track, Small Group DiscipleshipRob Looper
•Church Planting TrackTom Hawkes
•Church Acceleration TrackSandy Willson
9:50-10:00 AMBreak & return to large group for final plenary session
10:00-10:50 AMSession 14 – Where Do We Go From Here? – Rob Looper
10:50-11:20 AMSmall Group Discussion
11:20-12:00 PMFinal Q&A Panel
12:00-12:30 PMSession 13 – Making Your Plan
12:30 PMWrap-up & Dismiss
9:00-9:50 AMSession 13
•Church Revitalization Track, Small Group DiscipleshipRob Looper
•Church Planting TrackTom Hawkes
•Church Acceleration TrackSandy Willson
9:50-10:00 AMBreak & return to large group for final plenary session
10:00-10:50 AMSession 14 – Where Do We Go From Here? – Rob Looper
10:50-11:20 AMSmall Group Discussion
11:20-12:00 PMFinal Q&A Panel
12:00-12:30 PMSession 13 – Making Your Plan
12:30 PMWrap-up & Dismiss
Information, Directions & Parking:
Event Location:
Briarwood Presbyterian Church
2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, AL 35243
Event Dates & Time:
January 22–24, 2026
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Parking & Entry:
• Enter the Briarwood campus from the south entrance off Action Road.
• Follow the road around the left side of the church and park near the Chapel entrance.
• Our events will be in the Fellowship Hall, just to the right inside the Chapel entry.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church
2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, AL 35243
Event Dates & Time:
January 22–24, 2026
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Parking & Entry:
• Enter the Briarwood campus from the south entrance off Action Road.
• Follow the road around the left side of the church and park near the Chapel entrance.
• Our events will be in the Fellowship Hall, just to the right inside the Chapel entry.
Map to Briarwood:
Briarwood Presbyterian Church
About Our Church:
Briarwood Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. Briarwood is located at 2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham Al. You can access our campus off I-459 at Acton Road, exit #17. Our Acton Road entrance is across from the McDonald’s.
On Sundays, we hold two worship services in the morning, at 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., and one in the evening at 6:00 pm.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. Briarwood is located at 2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham Al. You can access our campus off I-459 at Acton Road, exit #17. Our Acton Road entrance is across from the McDonald’s.
On Sundays, we hold two worship services in the morning, at 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., and one in the evening at 6:00 pm.